Abstract
We demonstrate compact, low power, lightweight laser-based sensors for measuring trace gas species in the atmosphere designed specifically for electronic unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms. The sensors utilize non-intrusive optical sensing techniques to measure atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations with unprecedented vertical and horizontal resolution (~1 m) within the planetary boundary layer. The sensors are developed to measure greenhouse gas species including carbon dioxide, water vapor and methane in the atmosphere. Key innovations are the coupling of very low power vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) to low power drive electronics and sensitive multi-harmonic wavelength modulation spectroscopic techniques. The overall mass of each sensor is between 1–2 kg including batteries and each one consumes less than 2 W of electrical power. In the initial field testing, the sensors flew successfully onboard a T-Rex Align 700E robotic helicopter and showed a precision of 1% or less for all three trace gas species. The sensors are battery operated and capable of fully automated operation for long periods of time in diverse sensing environments. Laser-based trace gas sensors for UAVs allow for high spatial mapping of local greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmospheric boundary layer where land/atmosphere fluxes occur. The high-precision sensors, coupled to the ease-of-deployment and cost effectiveness of UAVs, provide unprecedented measurement capabilities that are not possible with existing satellite-based and suborbital aircraft platforms.
Highlights
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for atmospheric research is rapidly growing
The Robotic unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) coupled with low power vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) trace gas sensors can be an effective technology for monitoring trace species in regimes that pose challenges for aircraft and land-based atmospheric sensors
Lightweight (1–2 kg), high-frequency (1 Hz), and cost-effective laser-based UAV sensors for high spatial (~1 m) sampling of the three most important greenhouse gases—water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane—with flight precisions of less than 1%
Summary
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for atmospheric research is rapidly growing Their ease of deployment and high maneuverability allows them to sample areas otherwise inaccessible with conventional platforms, within the planetary boundary layer of the troposphere (0.1–1 km altitude). While the overall atmospheric budget of methane is well known, the spatial and temporal distribution of its emissions to the atmosphere are poorly constrained To this end we developed optical sensors which provide a compact, cost effective, fully autonomous, low-power and non-intrusive probe to measure trace gas species in the atmosphere. In this study we demonstrate the feasibility of trace gas laser-based sensors to measure greenhouse gas concentrations with high vertical and horizontal resolution within the atmospheric boundary layer. The initial prototype shows short term field precision of less than 1%, mass of 2 kg, and power consumption of 2 W
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
